Guilty by Association
by ChaoticLogic
Summary: Grace, an assumed future villain, has been waiting years for her shot with one: Warren Peace. Will her reputation hold her down or will she prove to everyone that there is more than meets the eye? Warren X OC
1. The Misfits

**Guilty by Association **

_**Hello and welcome to my story! This is my first attempt at a Sky High story so please be kind!**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't anything related to Sky High or The Gift by James Patterson (but I do rather like the book…)**_

_**Please Enjoy and REVIEW! I love hearing from my readers!**_

**Chapter One: The Misfits**

I quickly open a portal to the shadow realm and allow the student, some guy with laser vision, to fly through it only to be deposited back into the ring. Stronghold had once again thrown someone out of the ring and sailing toward me and my friends. This could be because nobody really liked or trusted us, but this could also be because Stronghold is a creature of habit and this just happens to be his favorite corner.

"Nice save Maguire!"

And no, that isn't a joke, it's my name. My name is Grace Maguire and I have a very interesting or intimidating as the rest of the school sees it, power. You see I have the ability to control dark and shadow matter; I am also an illusionist and empath so apparently I am considered 'villain material' along with the rest of my friends. None of us have ever really done anything to warrant our brand but that doesn't seem to matter too much to the school at large.

We had all more or less found one another one by one and now here we are seniors lounging in the back corner of the bleachers, where golden boy Stronghold likes to deposit his trash during Save the Citizen. You would think that after four years of this shit that they would come up with a more creative game or another type of activity, but no, I've been watching the same thing for several years now. To say it is getting rather old is an understatement.

The only good thing about golden boy Stronghold is that for the past couple of years his best friend has been Warren Peace and I rather liked ogling him during Save the Citizen and any other class that we just so happen to have with one another.

I raise my hand and nod my head at Couch Boomer before lazily going back to watching the wonders of "Gym Class."

"Aww… you aren't going hero on us are you Grace?" questions Jake from his position behind me.

I glance back at him to see his infamous sardonic smirk on his handsome face. And let's just say that Jake is the perfect example of tall, dark and handsome in a way you would have never thought of. He has blond hair and dark blue gray eyes and a chiseled jaw that holds his smirks so well. What makes him dark is his powers, he has the power of possession and mind manipulation. Everyone has been scared to death of him since sophomore year where he took total control over some guy in save the citizen and almost made him walk into the spinning blades.

He isn't a bad guy, trust me I would know, he just has a twisted sense of humor.

Reid rolls his eyes from his position to my left, "Don't be ridiculous Jake, Grace would never do that to us…" he mutters perpetuating the inside joke.

Reid Raybourn is the opposite of Jake with chestnut brown hair and hazel eyes and a smile that could make a girl swoon. He was also incredibly smart and a quite devious, I adore him.

Tory laughs openly at the joke, always cheery and hyper there is little that she doesn't laugh at. Tory looks more like a pixie that anything else, being short, slender and a little too much sometimes, she controls the weather… oh and tiny particles such as atoms. To say the least the girl is a walking atomic bomb so don't piss her off.

Veronica from her position beside Jake and right behind Tory groans and at the joke, "That is getting a little old guys..." she mutters in annoyance.

Veronica has deep red hair and piercing green eyes and is the tallest out of us girls with a bad temper and a bad attitude. She has the ability to put curses and hexes on people as well as tip probability in or _out_ of your favor.

"Don't be such a spoil sport V!" says Jake.

She shoots him a warning glare and he quickly shuts up.

The five of us go back to watching the game or ignoring the game and all is relatively silent.

Today is only the second day of school and I have Mad Science next, one class I am dreading. Medulla, hasn't like me very much ever since Tory and I decided to power up the laser ray sophomore year and ended up blowing a hole through the front of the classroom and through about three more. Nobody was hurt but we almost got his overly large head in the blast. Needless to say he has never forgiven us and Tory and I haven't had Mad Science together since. The five of us had already compared schedules and I don't have class with any of them so this will be the first time, minus freshman year, where I am walking into this class alone. I am not looking forward to that!

The moment class is over I open up a portal and the three of us walk into it and come in the locker room where we quickly change clothes. We all walk out and say our 'see you's' then we head off in different directions.

I quickly head toward the Mad Science Lab already knowing exactly where it is. My portal drops me off and I take a table in the back next to a window. Quickly the room begins to fill up and before you know it Alyssa or 'Freeze Girl' comes walking daintily into the room. I've never really had much of a problem with her, but I've never really liked her either. I've especially not liked her since she was caught in the janitor's closet with that guy with six arms while she was dating Warren Peace. To say that their relationship ended badly would be an understatement and now they can barely stand to be in the same room with one another.

I quickly ignore her and start to read _The Gift_ by James Patterson, I am lost in the book when all of a sudden a bag is slammed down on the desk and I feel a wave of anger hit me like a transfer truck; and trust me it's strong if the emotions can get through my shield. The other chair at the table is ripped out and the person practically breaks it as they slam themselves into it hard. I am surprised by not only the show of animosity but also by whom it is. Sitting beside me is Warren Peace and he is looking at Alyssa like he is going to start spitting fire at any moment, which isn't impossible.

I'm not only surprised that my crush of several years is now sitting next to me, but a little disappointed as well. I could feel pain beneath the anger and knew he hadn't gotten over her. I knew why though, it comes with the power I could know anything about anyone that I wanted, which sometimes kinda sucks. Let's just say that Warren Peace doesn't take betrayal very well… somehow I think it stems from his father, but what do I know?

I try my best to ignore him, or at least his arms… I love his arms… and concentrate on my book. The last thing I want is for Warren Peace to get pissed at me, especially when my shining moment to make him forget all about Miss Stone-Cold-Bitch is at hand. So I do the one thing that I can think of that I probably shouldn't do. I reach my hand out and let it rest on his exposed wrist and begin to calm him down. The effects are visibly noticeable. His shoulders lose their tension, the scowl on his face softens and his fists unclench.

His head shoots in my direction, "What are you doing?" he growls.

I suppress a shiver, but not one of fear like he wants, and turn cool blue eyes on him, "If you don't calm down you are going to make a fool of yourself, plus it's been almost a year get over it." I say coldly.

Ok, so I'm a little jealous… sue me…

He glares at me, "What would you know?"

"More than you think…"I mutter before turning to the front of class as Mr. Medulla walks into the room and demands silence sending a pointed glare in my direction.

From beside me I can feel Warren's glare and just know that this is going to be a great year…

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	2. Heroes Vs Villains

**Guilty by Association**

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**Chapter 2: Arguments between Heroes and Villains **

Never have I been so disenchanted with the guy of my dreams in my entire life! Warren Peace is a nice piece of man meat; however he is not a very nice person. I was just trying to keep him from getting in trouble but no he has to go be a pansy about it.

I grumble to myself as I walk down the hallway _away_ from the Mad Science Lab thinking about how horrible this year is going to be in that class. Not only does Mr. Medulla hate me, but now so does the one guy that I've had my eye on for the past two and a half years. I feel like I have wasted so much time…

He was a total jerk! And here I thought that he was going to be all deep and intelligent with that bad boy/ tough guy persona that just makes me swoon. But NO!

And you should have seen the look on his face when he realized that we were stuck together as partners for the rest of the year, it looked like someone had stabbed him!

Reid is beside me in moments, "Whose ass do you want me to kick? That Peace kid? Cause I will…" he said with a devious smirk.

You see Reid is our resident telepath, who just so happens to have the power of suggestion and hypnosis, nothing gets past him.

"No Reid, it's fine, I can handle this myself."

He frowned at me, "You know you are too good for him anyway."

"Of Course Reid," I mutter as we make our way to the cafeteria for lunch.

On the way we run into the rest of the gang and together we all walk into the lunch room and find our usual table. Sitting there are a bunch of freshman completely oblivious to the fact that they are sitting at our lunch table.

Jake clears his throat and the 'tough guy' of the group turns to look at Jake with a 'what do you want' look.

"What do _you_ want?"

How clever…

"For you and your little friends to move, this is our table."

"Heh," he scoffs, "Do you know who my father is?"

Jake leans on the table, getting right in his face and mutters in that deadly whisper that only Jake seems to have mastered, although V isn't too far behind him, and mutters, "Does it look like we care?"

The tough guy is suddenly moving of his own accord and he looks terrified because obviously he doesn't understand why.

Reid walks to the front of our group and mutters a simple word, "Move."

And they all scramble of their own accord or his suggestion; we don't really keep track anymore, and reclaim our table.

"You know that wasn't very nice," says Stronghold from his position a few tables away.

"Good thing we don't care," says V.

I roll my eyes knowing where this is going.

"Well I think you all should be nicer to people."

"Like they are to us?" I question calmly giving him a dead pan look. Apparently it is a little unnerving because he can't hold my eyes and looks away.

"You know maybe people wouldn't think of you as a villain if you were a little nicer to people and didn't give off such a…"

"_What?_" Questions V softly but deadly, I know that voice. It usually comes right before very bad things happen to people. Let's just say that her hexes put Harry Potter to shame…

"Will," says Layla calmly, "you shouldn't have said that."

I snuck a glance at Warren who had just been sitting there throughout the argument, but I know that Will's comment had bothered him. After all he was at one point in time just like us, which is why I am so disappointed that he had been such a jerk to me today. I thought he was different, that just maybe he understood that being an outcast isn't fun.

"Forget it guys he's not worth it…" I calmly supply trying to end the fight.

"What do you mean by that?" questions Will obviously not enjoying being written off like that.

"What I said, you aren't worth it."

"I'm going to be a Hero, which is more than I can say for you."

"I can guarantee you Will Stronghold," I say with a cold calculating tone, "that I will be a better hero than you."

"Oh really? And why is that?"

"Because I can do the one thing that you can't."

"What's that? Think like a Villain?"

"No. Understand people and the duality of human nature. I won't just stop people from doing wrong I will understand why they did it in the first place and know exactly how to stop them. All you can do… is fly around and punch things." I say giving him an innocent smile.

He doesn't look happy but chooses not to comment further; at least he does when both Layla and Warren put a warning hand on his shoulder and tell him to 'forget it.'

The tension in the room doesn't leave throughout lunch and I can feel the anger radiating off of my friends. The anger builds and settles into me, I swear I'm like magnet for the negative emotions of the world.

This only serves to put me into a bad mood for the rest of the day, which doesn't bode well for my classmates. But you would think they would have learned after I had Jason Overman in the fetal position on the floor literally crying for his mother. Apparently, he doesn't like spiders the size of sky scrapers…

~~**~~ The Next Day~~**~~

I love monotony…

No really I do…

I love sitting up in the bleachers watching as Peace (yes it is Peace he doesn't deserve to have me fantasize about him _and _actually use his name) and Stronghold once again kick and I quote "Villain Ass."

I know… original…

Anyway, I should have perhaps been expecting this, but Stonghold managed to catch me by surprise.

"Alright Stonghold! Choose your villains!"

"Actually I think that this time I want to be a villain."

"Umm… ok?" Couch Boomer said looking incredibly surprised, even Warren, I mean Peace, is giving Stonghold a 'what' look.

"Ok then pick your heros."

"Maguire and Story."

Jake and I looked at one another and smirked before standing up and making our way in to the locker rooms to change. When we were done we stepped out on the field and with a smile I muttered, "This is going to be fun…"

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	3. Live in Infamy my Ass!

**Guilty by Association**

**Hey guys! Sorry for the slight wait, I wanted to get this out a day or two ago but I had some stressful things going on at work… blah… but that is over now! I hope you all enjoy this and continue to review! You all continue to floor me with reviews! It makes me sooo happy! I love hearing your opinions!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Sky High**

**Chapter 3: Live in Infamy my Ass…**

I cannot tell you how long I have been waiting to kick the living daylights out of our hero William Stronghold. And perhaps I would go easy on Peace if I was still enamored with him, ok so I am but that doesn't mean I'm going easy on him! Especially after yesterday…

Jake and I glance at one another; we know exactly what we are going to do. We are unstoppable and today we are going to prove it.

When Boomer yells, "Begin!" everyone springs into action.

Stronghold is in the air in the blink on an eye 'guarding' the civilian while Peace begins to throw fireballs at us. Dark matter is in my hands in an instant as I throw it to block his incoming shots. Jake is already behind me waiting for the moment when I open up my portal, but after about 30 seconds of a relentless downpour of flames we have to revise our strategy.

With a simple look I throw one of my dark matter orbs up to the lights and allow myself and Jake to sink into a portal. The entire room is encompassed into darkness making it almost entirely impossible for everyone to see, well except me that is. I position us behind Peace who has set himself mostly on fire and moved to stand in front of the citizen allowing light for both himself and Stronghold. Too bad that isn't going to be good enough.

All it takes is a touch and Jake has possession of Peace and Stronghold has no idea, so the second that Peace turns around and sends a fire ball directly at Stronghold, not only is he surprised by the fire, but he is also surprised that his friend has just turned on him. With Stronghold on the ground Jake returns to his body only to rush to Strongholds before he gets up. Peace is now mine.

I walk up to him and allow myself to find his own shadow in the small pool of light that he created the second he had control of his body and I step on it making mobility impossible. In the meantime, Jake has taken over Stronghold's body and flown up and snatched the citizen from certain death. This is all done with 30 seconds to spare.

I allow the lights to come back on at that point flooding and allowing the rest of the student body and Couch Boomer to see what had happened. And it takes only a second for them to understand that the new victors are Jake and I.

Jake lands and slips back into his own body allowing Stronghold to wake up, furiously by the way.

"You cheated!" he accuses us.

"Or you are a bad loser," I murmur calmly.

"You shorted the lights out! We couldn't see! That's not fair!"

"Oh right… because real villains are going to play fair and ask your permission?" questiones Jake sarcastically.

"Will we lost fair and square," Peace said calmly, "good match," he says as he sticks his hand out to shake mine.

To say that I'm surprised would be an understatement, I give him a small smile and extend my hand to his and shake his hand and he in turn also shakes Jake's hand, who looks rather impressed. When we had touched I had felt a small sense of sincerity, but an even larger sense of curiosity. Why would he be curious now? He's known what I could do since freshman year at hero placement, why the sudden interest now?

I decide not to question myself; somehow I know that his curiosity isn't about me, but my powers. I also know that this tryst between Stronghold and my group isn't over yet, if nothing else it has really just begun. After all, those two have been undefeated for over a year now and the feelings of resentment and distrust are radiating off of Stronghold like toxic fumes. I roll my eyes and turn to leave; I don't feel like getting into another confrontation. I'm too tired.

"This isn't over yet Maguire!"

I turn and look over my shoulder at him, "you know you sound exactly like a villain that just lost… right?"

"Where are you going Maguire? You guys are the winners you get next pick!" Couch Boomer yelled.

"We don't do second rounds; we've already made our point." I say as we turn and walk away.

I could tell that neither Boomer nor Stronghold is pleased by that statement, but honestly I refuse to overdo it. I've never been one for spotlights, perhaps it has something to do with my powers, but I've always preferred the shadows.

After we change out of our battle attire we rejoin our friends in our corner.

"Nice job guys!" exclaims Tory upon our arrival.

V and Reid simply nod their approval as we settle ourselves into our regular spots. Looking around we notice that a lot of people are whispering about us, some look impressed, some look scared and some hostile. The five of us pretend to ignore it, but something tells me that beating the heroes of Sky High wasn't very good for our villain image.

I could feel the tension as I walk down the hallway toward Mad Science. Normal people have the ability to feel tension or other such emotions, being an empath it is magnified by about 100 for me. Each individual person's emotions hit me like a bullet pricking at my skin and stinging me, making each passing moment harder and harder to get my shield up. I had refused a second battle for a reason. Dousing lights are a new aspect of my power, one that I'm trying to strengthen; unfortunately dousing all the lights in the rather large gym is quite draining. Thus my normal shield has been weakened quite a bit.

Fortunately I am able to make it to Mad Science without screaming, however, when I get there I find Warren Peace already in his seat. He looks up the second that I enter and I can tell that he has been waiting for me. His eyes lock with mine, deep and smoldering, I love it. I keep his eyes as I walk toward my seat, but stop right in front of him.

"You want to talk about something?" I could feel it, urgency beneath his gaze.

"You understand why villains do the things they do right?"

I'm a little taken aback, "Kind of… I have the ability to feel emotions and lately memories connected with certain strong emotions such as fear, anger or love."

"I want you to meet my father."

"What? You want me to meet Barron Battle! No way!"

"Why not?" he yells standing up to tower over me.

"Because it's dangerous!"

"How the hell is it dangerous?"

"You wouldn't understand, your powers are external manifestations, some of mine are internal, and those are different."

"I knew you were only out for yourself… you're no hero…"

For some reason, words that I've heard spoken by countless other people, countless other times have never affected me until he said them.

I didn't get a chance to say anything back because at that moment the class room begins to fill up with students. I quickly take my seat and turn away from him and stare out into the open sky. I can't wait until this class is over so I can go pitch a fit to Reid.

The truly sad part is that even though I am so mad at him, I'm even more disappointed in the fact that he was only nice to me because he wanted to use me.

Somehow I think that that hurt more than anything else.

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	4. Confrontations that Lack Explanations

**Guilty by Association**

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**I know it's a little short but I felt that was a good place to end it! Plus I kinda want to work on my new Harvest Moon story. So if there are any fans please check it out and let me know if it is worth continuing! Thanks a bunches! **

**Chapter 4: Confrontations that lack Explanations**

In our little group I am the only person who doesn't seem to have an issue with Reid's random visits. And by random visits I mean…

"_Hey, Grace what's wrong? I know what Peace said to you… Want me to take care of it?"_

One minute its Mad Science 4 the next minute is Therapy with Reid, you learn to deal with it…

"_No Reid I'll be fine… I can take care of this myself…"_

"_I know you can, but so can I…"_

The hint of a smile ghosts across my face for the first time all class period, Reid was one of the few that actually tried to take care of me every once in a while. V was the only other one that even attempted to, she would have to be my best girl friend. Tory is cool, but a little hyper for my tastes sometimes, she is kinda the little sister of the group anyway. And Jake is defiantly the guard dog, along with V that is, those two do most of the physical dealings of the group. That leaves Reid and I to be the care takers within the group, if there is a problem we solve it.

"_Really Reid, I'm fine, nothing I haven't heard before. Besides, why would Warren Peace want to have anything to do with me anyway? I'm just…"_

"_Don't you dare even think that Grace!" _exclaims Reid in annoyance.

I could tell, however, that what Peace had said to me bothered him more than he wanted to admit.

I could practically feel him sigh, our bond had grown stronger as we got older, and it was no wonder that some of our powers seem to be influencing one another. We had read about that of course in Power Studies that if two heroes have similar powers and spend a lot of time with one another, then the powers can connect with one another and begin to take on attributes of the other. This is what seems to be happening with Reid's telepathic powers and my empathic powers.

"_You know he doesn't deserve you right? You are so much better than him…"_

A soft sigh escapes my lips and I notice that Warren keeps glancing over at me, I felt guilt radiating off of him, so it must be strong if I can feel it with my shield up. I simply avoid his eyes; I don't care if he 'has a bad temper' _no one_ talk to me like that.

When class is over I already have my things gathered up and bolt from the room, too tired to sink into shadows or open a portal. I can hear Warren calling out to me, but since I'm so much smaller than him luckily I'm able to lose him on my way to art by weaving through the crowd. I've already let the others know I won't be joining them for lunch. I need solitude.

Apparently thought solitude doesn't really care much for me…

"Grace! Grace!" I hear my name yelled and turn to see Tory come literally barreling down the hallway, 15 mph winds in her wake.

"Grace! Reid is fighting Peace in the lunch room! You have to come quick!"

My eyes widen and I am off down the hallway like a shot. When I make it there I see Warren in obvious pain from Reid's mental assault and Warren throwing fire balls at Reid through the pain.

Tory summons a whirlwind knocking Reid off his feet and into the air where she makes him hover above the crowd. I scuff my heel against the floor and concentrate on the shadows at Warren's feet urging them to solidify, as they do so treadles shoot up from the floor and wrap themselves around him and heave him off the ground as well.

I can feel Warren's rage build inside of him and do the one thing I know to calm him down, I absorb his anger. I feel it, a deep and overwhelming anger almost as old as he is and it's all consuming.

I notice the lights in the room darken as shadows radiate off of me, I turn toward him, my own anger at his injustice words mingling with his. Before I know it, he is kneeling before clutching his head in pain and laying on floor in a fetal position.

His deepest fear flashes before my eyes and using my illusionary ability, I make it a reality for him. Torturing him and worst thing about it is that…

I like it…

Suddenly, however, everything goes black and I am encompassed in dark nothingness where all is quiet and peaceful.

The soft pull of deep worry is what brings me back to consciousness. I open my eyes and a familiar ceiling hangs over me, I glance toward the window and see that it's dark outside. I blink several times and try to remember what happened. It can't be good. It never is when I can't remember.

Slowly I drag myself from bed and walk over to the mirror; large bags are under my eyes, made even darker by my smudged eye makeup. My lips are pale, as well as my complexion and I can't help but think that if I look this bad what does the other person look like?

Oh yes… I know someone else is involved, because they've managed to bring the full wrath of my powers on them. The heartless combination that can turn me into a monster, I hated it…

I can feel my friends downstairs; it's been a while since such a thing happened. I calmly make my way downstairs and see them all in the living room, looking at the TV but not really seeing it. I can't blame them for being worried though, last time this happened I was out for a week straight.

Even now, I can still see flashes of a nightmare that isn't my own, that I'm sure I made someone live.

When they turn and see me all eyes widen in shock and awe and I am ambushed by all of them. In my daze, I answer all of their questions and placid the best I can, wondering all the while what exactly I have done.

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	5. Out of the Frying Pan and into Peace

**Guilty by Association**

**Sorry all! School started back and then there is work and occasionally I do have a life… not often but often enough…**

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**Chapter 5: Running out of the Frying Pan and into Warren Peace**

I don't want to go to school today.

I don't want to go to school today.

I don't want to go to school today.

It's the only thing that I can think as I step into a portal and out onto the front lawn of Sky High. Right away everyone is looking at me and pointing. This is why I hate using my powers. The only thing it ever gets me in is trouble.

Perhaps… I just am trouble…

I sigh softly as I walk down the hallways and even though I know this is a totally cliché way of putting it, but quite frankly, whispers really are following me down the hallway. What's worse, the second I am near anyone their fear spikes and this time I know what they are afraid of. This time it's not the dark or spiders… It's me.

An arm is suddenly slung over my should and I glace up to see Jake, he glances down at me and gives me an encouraging smile and we continue on our way. I'm not sure why I'm letting this bother me today, after all this isn't anything new. Maybe today I actually believe it too… believe that I am a…

"_Monster."_

"_Freak."_

"_Certifiable."_

"_She needs help…"_

"_She belongs in an insane asylum."_

"_You mean a prison, right?"_

"…_bound in chains…"_

"…_no future…"_

"_She's a villain…"_

"_A villain…"_

"_Villain!"_

"Why am I here?" I ask softly.

"Because… none of that is true…"

"Yes it is…" I whisper dejectedly.

My first class is pure torture, but then again Hero History is always torture, the only difference this time is that I'm the main topic of gossip. And no one seems to notice that I'm in the back row listening to everything that they have to say about me.

My outer shell is rebuilding itself by second period. I walk into the gym with a scowl and a glare on my face. I admit I love playing the bad ass with too much black eye makeup and too red lipstick, and today it works in my favor. I don't have to push and shove to get to my seat in the gym. The student's just part, I admit… I loved that about being me.

My brief moment of glory is crushed when I notice that someone very important is missing.

Warren Peace.

I scan the gym for him over and over, but no matter how many times I look he isn't here.

"What's up?" questions the too cool voice of V from my right.

"Peace isn't here today."

"So?"

"So? What if I actually hurt him?"

"You didn't, he's fine."

"Yeah… but how do you know?"

"Just do. Now watch the bloodshed."

I roll my eyes at my nonchalantly violent friend, I should have known that she wouldn't care about anything. She's never really liked Peace anyway, why would expect her to care now?

My next class warrants the same results. Peace isn't here.

Mad Science is ending and I'm about to go see the principal when a voice stops me as I'm heading down the hallway.

"What do you want Stronghold?" I question in exasperation, not really in the mood to deal with him. Ok so I'm never in the mood to deal with him, but now is especially not a good time.

"What did you do to Warren?"

"What are you talking about?"

"He's in the hospital, because of you!"

"What?" I question feeling my stomach drop.

"You put him into some kind of coma, he keeps yelling out but he won't wake up. It's like he's…"

"…living in a nightmare," I finish for him already knowing what has happened. I turn to leave, I have to get to him…

"That's what you did isn't it? You trapped him in a nightmare!" Will yells as he pulls back and before I can react I am sent flying into the row of lockers behind me.

Before I can recover will is flying toward me, he lands in front of me and sends a swift kick to my stomach knocking all the air from my lungs. I feel a couple of ribs give, I'm quite sure they are broken. Dazed and confused I feel myself being lifted into the air and slammed into a locker. I see my vision swim and edges of my vision begin to cloud, my whole body is searing with pain. I hear screams and it takes me a moment to realize that they are mine.

The pain is mind numbing… at least until sweet oblivion pulls me once again into its depths.

Oh how I love that soothing nothingness…

A soft slow beep is the only thing that I can hear. I open my eyes to nothingness, well at least until my powers kick in. The room I'm in is dark and bare, cheery but unwelcoming.

"A hospital room…" I think solemnly.

As I look around I see that a single beam of light can be seen under the door, it's perfectly silent outside, almost eerily so….

I frown, I hate hospitals. Nothing good ever comes from a hospital in my experience.

Suddenly I hear the soft pat of footsteps coming down the hallway, when they get to my room door it silently creeks open. Standing in my doorway is a very familiar silhouette.

I feel my body freeze in terror and the only that seems to go through my mind is 'please don't hurt me.'

I try to move but there is no way in my drug induced state that I would be able to sit up let alone get very far. Silently, pleadingly, I lay there in absolute panic as he comes toward me.

**I know I'm evil but how else am I going to draw you guys back! Will you review for me? If you do I shall give you a cookie!**


	6. Overrated cruelty & Underrated Kindness

**Guilty by Association **

**Hello ladies, sorry for the wait… things have been crappy… and I've been concentrating on "Do you believe in Fate" which my Paul fans should check out, but I seriously just need to step back from that one right now…**

**Anyway, I've noticed that several of you are Dean Winchester Fans… as am I, and I've recently decided to embark upon a Dean Winchester story it's called "Finding your Future" and I'm pretty excited about it! **

**Check it out and let me know what you think? First chapter is posted!**

**Chapter 6: Over rated Cruelty and Under rated Kindness**

With fear filled eyes I looked at the figure now standing above my bed. Warren Peace looks down at me with an unreadable expression on his face.

"Will did this to you?"

"Uhh… Yeah… he did…" I say looking away embarrassed by his gaze and the fact I have no idea what I look like.

"I'm sorry…"

"Why are you sorry?" I manage to choke out.

"Cause it's because of me isn't it?"

"Yeah it is."

"Damnit," he mutters as he turns and looks away from me, "It's not even your fault. I was a jerk to you and then you were just trying to stop the fight. And I shouldn't have said what I did…"

"Warren? It's ok… you didn't do this to me, Stronghold did, and as far as I'm concerned he's the one who should be apologizing for it… not you…"

"I was still a jerk to you…"

"I know…" I say with a smirk.

He smirks back and rolls his eyes, "will you at least let me apologize for that?"

"Nope, I say that we just call it even… I trapped you in a nightmare after all…"

"Yeah, that wasn't fun, try not to do that again."

"I try not to make a habit of it…" I say in shame looking away from him once again.

"I guess I deserved it though…"

"No you didn't, nobody deserves that!" I insist.

"I called you a villain; I made assumptions about you that I shouldn't. I know what it's like when people do that. You know, put you in a box and label you without reason," Warren confessed.

"No offense Warren, but why are you being so nice to me now? Because if it's because your best friend beat me up and you have pity on me… don't. I don't need pity, I can take care of myself, and Stronghold just caught me off guard."

"That's not it…" he whispered, "It's because from the moment they brought you into the hospital a shadow, shaped just like yours, has been in my room. Apparently it woke me up and then kept watch over me…"

"Yeah… that was me alright…" I say with a sigh, "Sometimes, especially when I'm knocked unconscious my shadow, which is a manifestation of my own powers to control shadows, will protect me or someone I care about that is in perceived danger."

"Why would it protect me though? You hate me…"

"I don't hate you… and probably because saving you was the last thing I was thinking about when I was conscience."

"Really now?" he says with a slight smirk.

"Yep… Well before Stronghold blindsided me that is…"

"How are you so casual about this?"

"Because I know he didn't get away with it…" I say with a soft smile, "I also know that he is down the hallway in a room all to himself…"

"How do you know that?" He asks with apprehension.

"Shadows talk, that's all I'll say on the matter."

"You are one strange girl…" 

"You have no idea," I laugh.

The next day I am released from the hospital, thank goodness, that place always makes me nervous. I'm not allowed to look in the mirror until I get home, where all of my friends are waiting. I notice that they all look rather murderous, especially when I walk in and they actually see my face. Their emotions jump between, shock, rage and pity and my self-confidence plummets.

"Jeeze guys… freak out a little more why don't you?" I say as I try to brush it off, but in reality I really don't want to look in that mirror.

Each one comes up and hugs me, although Reid lingers a little while longer, I can tell that he's the most tore up about this. He feels responsible.

Then I hear it, faint but it's there no more than a whisper in my mind, "I'm so sorry… I'll never let them hurt you again…"

I pull away and smile, "It's not your fault," I say firmly.

He just responds by looking away.

Finally I tear myself away from my group and walk up the stairs with the excuse of being tired. I make my way into the bathroom and gasp at what I see. I have a black right eyes and a large multicolored bruise near my temple on the left hand side. My lip is split open and there are few cuts literally the skin on my face. The pure fact that I need to shower and I'm not wearing any make up makes me seriously look like a zombie.

I sigh heavily at my reflection and run my fingers gingerly over the bruise on my temple hissing and jerking my hand back at the pain. I know I'm going to miss those pain killers they had me on at the hospital.

Calmly I walk over to my bed where my friends had left my homework for the past couple of days and begin to look it over. Quietly, without complaint, I open my books and begin to work.

The next morning I'm glaring at my reflection in the mirror, I had pulled out all the stops this morning to not look like… well… this! Not even the really expensive concealer could make a dent in the bruise that has just sooo many pretty colors! I couldn't believe my parents are actually making me go to school today either, they could have at least saved me from further humiliation and let me heal. But noooo 'your education is far more important than your vanity' says my mother when I plea with her. What does she know? She isn't 17! In fact the last time I checked… it had been about 20 years since she was!

But alas here I am, standing in front of the school, purposefully late so as to see fewer people. I even allow my abilities to magic me into my first period seat without being caught. I'm thankful when the teacher doesn't say my name just simply looks up to see if I'm present. I've always rather liked my history teacher, a short frizzy haired older woman, with a soft voice and a feisty temper when provoked. Her own powers, the ability to create lasers of several varieties, contrasts with her love of books and history. With that the lesson continues and I wordlessly survive first period.

I'm pleased that I'm allowed out of gym, if nothing else getting beaten up allowed me to avoid the horror of getting stared at because I was beaten up. Plus all of my friends are suspended because they kicked Stronghold's ass… which I'm sorry I missed by the way… and it would have been boring without them to help me make fun of the goody goodies…

I'm not surprised when the first person in Mad Science is Warren; I suppose I can call him Warren now since he apologized for being a royal ass.

"So you are here today…" he says upon approaching me and my magazine.

"What made you think I wasn't?"

"You weren't in Hero Training."

"Doctor's note, only thing getting sent to the hospital is good for," I reply nonchalantly.

He chuckles, "I see… So… you feeling better? You look better…"

"Sooo you're saying I looked like shit… and now I look less like shit?"

"I didn't say that…" he says with a frown.

"No… but it was implied…" I say with a cheeky smile.

He merely rolls his eyes as we see the teacher to come through the door.

Class flies by… ok not really… but do you really want to know what we learned about in science? I think not… not even I want to know what we learned about in science and I'm going to get tested on it. Anyway, when I stand and pull my bag onto my shoulder I'm surprised when I'm stopped from leaving by a hand.

"Since your friends aren't here for lunch, why don't you sit me?"

"Seriously? You want me to sit with you?"

He shrugs, "You're not as annoying as I thought you were."

"Good to know…ehh why not?" I ask as I follow him out the door and to the lunch room where his friends await him.

I'm fine until I see them, then it dawns on me that these are also Strongholds friends too and maybe this isn't such a good idea…


End file.
